A city-based lawyer has filed a complaint before a magistrate in Mumbai seeking legal action against former Satyam [Get Quote] Chairman B Ramalinga Raju, the former board of directors of the company, and senior officials of PwC for 'cheating investors by manipulating accounts'.

The complainant, C Anthony Lewis, has said that he had bought 500 shares of Satyam about three weeks prior to Raju admitting to manipulation in the company's accounts for showing higher profits, following which Satyam's share value dropped drastically.

The complaint has been filed against 32 individuals before the chief metropolitan magistrate at Esplanade Court in Mumbai, including senior officials of PwC and former directors on the board of Satyam.

Action should be initiated against the accused under relevant sections of the IPC, C Anthony Lewis said.

"The complaint has been filed since I do not believe the . . . version that only three persons are responsible for carrying out this corporate fraud. The others involved should also be brought to book," he said.

The court, after hearing arguments, has kept the matter for orders on January 28.